LOCAL & GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2651, 26 April 1894, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL.

Orari Traffic Bridge.—A meeting re the proposal to build a traffic bridge over the Orari river, Main South Road, will be held on Wednesday evening next at the Orari Hotel. Sale at Geraldine. —The C.F.C. Association hold a sale of fruit and forest trees, flowering shrubs, apples, potatoes, furniture, etc., at Geraldine to-day, on account of Mr S. Chapman. Larceny. A young man named Frederick Prince, son of a wharfinger at Wellington, was arrested last Saturday night to answer a charge of larceny of several sets of billiard balls from a city warehouse. Land for Seetlbment. —It is reported that the Land Company offered a block of 1300 acres of the Levels Estate to the Government for settlement purposes, and that the Government have made an offer for 500 acres of it. Upper Waitohi. To-night a concert and dance in aid of the school funds will be held in the Upper Waitohi School. The programme is more than ordinarily attractive, singers from Timaru, Melbourne, Christchurch, and Kakahu having promised their assistance. Social at Temuka. —To-night a social, in connection with the Church of England Temperance Society, will take place in the Parish Hall. An interesting programme has been arranged, and refreshments will be dispensed during the evening. The social commences at 7.30. Cattle Sale.—There was a capital entry at the special sale of fat cattle held at the Temuka saleyards on Tuesday last, and a fair attendance of buyers. A fair amount of business was done, a reasonable proportion of good bullocks fetching as high as £9 a head. Some pens were hardly as good as they might have been, but all round the cattle were of good quality. The Weather.—On Tuesday the variable weather of the previous two days settled into a strong nor’ wester that blew with little intermission throughout the day. As far as this district is concerned little damage has apparently been done. A few straw stacks were scattered about, and the roofs of some stacked grain were shifted but on the whole the wind did good in drying up the rain of Sunday. Towards the hills rain fell for some hours, and the day was particularly unpleasant. It is evident we have been treated to the fag end of the storms which have been raging further north.

The Prohibition League.—The Prohibition League held a social at Dunedin on Tuesday night to celebrate the success of the licensing election. About 1000 attended. The following resolutions were passed:—(l) Thankfully recognising the greatness of the advance in temperance sentiment, and congratulating the colony on the hopeful outlook for the future. (2) Calling upon Parliament to amend the existing law, by, among others, (a) the repeal of the half poll; (b) giving the majority power to rule on this question; (c) simplifying the ballot p .pers; (d) making clubs and refreshment bars amenable to the people’s votes; (e) urging Government during next session to obtain power for and take a plebiscite of the electors of the colony on the question of prohibition of the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic liquors.

The Lyons Company,—Notwithstanding the low prices there was only a moderate attendance at Lyons’s Operatic Burlesque Company last Tuesday evening. Ladies seem to have some objection to going, as they were conspicuous by their absence, but there was no necessity for it as there was nothing to hurt anyone’s sensibilities. The people have not been educated to burlesquing, or.they would have appreciated the Lyons Company, as it was really very clever. The company drew large houses in Dunedin, and was highly spoken of, but here it was a dead frost. This was to be regretted as the entertainment given last Tuesday evening was really very good. Humor, music, mirth, and melody, as well as dancing, commingled together, made up an entertainment such as kept the audience in roars of laughter from beginning to end. The company left yesterday morning for Ashburton, where they appeared last night. Painful Accident. The Mataura Ensign says:—“A very narrow escape from what might have proved a fatal accident occurred at Eiversdale, in the grain stores belonging to Mr H. S. Valentine, on Saturday morning last. Mr Watt, foreman of the shed, was engaged in getting some grain stacked away, when through some unknown circumstance the block which was used for hoisting the bags and is fastened to one of the roof rafters gave way and fell with great force, striking Mr Watt on the face and cutting him up dreadfully. A bag, which was suspended in mid-air on the pulley, struck him in its fall, and it was expected that his arm was broken, but such has not proved to be the case. The sufferer was taken to Gore, where he is now under the control of Dr G. Anderson Copland. The accident is the more unfortunate seeing that Mr Watt has been suffering from the effects of a previous one, in which he got the point of one of his fingers taken off.” Mr Watt w ( as at one time a resident of Tomuka, and a brother of Mrs P. Ooira. ' Primitive IVletbodist Church, Geraldine.—On Tuesday evening last a coffee supper was held at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Geraldine, when there was a large number present. Mr J. Huffey presided, and tJ ,f! ft ev - K- Williams was also on the nlatform. The programme opened with an anthem by the choir, “I will call upon the Lord ”, Mr E. Logan sang well - When the pearly gates unfold choir, hymn, “ They shall run and not be weary Rev. H. Williams, a reading; Misses B. Sherratt and E. Maslin and Messrs E, Robson and and C. E. Sherratt. quartette, ” Only to Thee”; Miss Fanny Gibson, solo, “Tired”; Misses. J 3. Sherratt and M. Morrison and Messrs C. E. Sherptt and E. Robson, quartette, “ Come let ifs raise our voice ’; Mr C, E. Sherratt, reading, “ /feljEcott Mr E. Robson, solo, “He shall gather”‘well rendered ; choir, hymn. Then came coffee and c.akes, which were passed round by young ladies <?f the Church. The second part of the pregfapme consisted of an anthem by the choir, T. Sherratt, reading, "The selection of a minister”, exceptionally well read ; Misses Roskrugo I a.ad P. (/jbso’-i and Messrs E. Robson and E. Logan, quartette, “ Whiter than the s , O . iV - ; . choir. among Leu thousands"': Mr WateretOß, wcifqtiou from Longfellow’s “Hiau’.atha”, nicely raigfcjd; Misses M. Morrison and I? Slrirrait, dm-t. “ I hear thee speak of a better laud ohoir, “0 Father Almighty P Miss Andrews, as usual, officiated with every :satisfaction on the organ, accompanying the performers. The eolfee supper, which was most successful in every way, was brought to a close by a'brief address to the congregation by the chairman, previous to which the llcv. 11. Williams moved a hearty vote of thanks to those who had given provisions for the supper ; also tho performers, especially mentioning tbe chairman. An adjournment was then made to the vestry, where Mr W. >5. Maslin sold by auction a quantity of harvest produce, tho receipts from which are to bo givea to the circuit f\iad.

Sly Grog-Selling. —Mary Sullivan was fined by Captain Jackson, S.M., £lO and £6 10s costs for sly grog-selling in the King Country, Auckland. Water Gas. —Mr Watt’s water-gas plant at Balclutha is now erected, and a satisfactory trial took place on Thursday evening.

Colonel Pox’s Letters.— The Government have appointed a Commission to enquire into the publication of Colonel Fox’s letters, and Mr O’Hara Smith has been appointed Commissioner. Charity.— At a meeting of the Kaitangata Relief Fund Committee it was decided to grant £1 per week to a woman whose husband was killed while working in a coal mine at Kurow, North Otago. Embezzlement. —ln the Dunedin police court Frederick Marryatt pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of £l2 8s 8d from the Customs Department, and was remanded, pending the report of the Probation Officer.

Social at Winchester. —To-morrow evening a social will be held in the Winhester Public Hall in aid of the fund for erecting a dressing room on the football ground. Refreshments will be provided, and the admission is only Is.

Social at Orari Gorge. —To-morrow evening a social will beheld at the Orari Gorge Shearers’ Whare. The social is promoted by the employees on the station. The object being to assist the local school fund. Good music, an efficient M.C., and refreshments will be provided. Geraldine Road Board Election. — Candidates for the three vacant seats on the Geraldine Road Board must be nominated with Mr W. Shiers before noon to-day. The retiring members are Messrs J. Kelland, A, Metcalf, and K. Brophy, and they are eligible for re-election.

O amaru Harbor. —The Oamaru Mail says:—“ The question of the judge’s order in the matter of the appointment of a receiver was exhaustively threshed out by the Harbor Board in committee recently, and we are informed that it was ultimately resolved to appeal against the order.” Profitable Farming. —An exchange says that a sheepfarmer on the East Coast last year fattened off 4000 sheep for export on 120 acres of turnips. Of the sheep sent Home he arranged for the sale of 1200 in London through a Smithfield firm of butchers, with the result that he made a clear profit after paying all expenses of £1 Is (id per head.

PUBLICANS AND THE LICENSING ACT.— Mr Martin, S.M.. Wellington, in the course of the hearing of the case of selling liquor to a child under 13 years of age, incidentally commented on the small number of drunkards who had been before him since the new Act came into force. This fact, he thought, showed that the hotelkeepers were awakening to the fact that the law must be respected. Reassuring. —The Portugese Consul has received a cable message from the Portugese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at Lisbon, stating that the disease reported in the cablegrams as cholera is merely aggravated diarrhoea, and has been prevalent for upwards of a month, during which time no fatal case has been reported. The number of patients in the hospital is decreasing. Robbery. —Pour men named John Galloway, Charles Mayor, Thomas Murray, and Robert Manning, have been arrested at Auckland on a charge of robbery from a till and larceny of other things from the Paikakiriki Hotel. Prisoners were discovered in a hut near the hotel with a quantity of tbe goods which are alleged to have been stolen. In possession of prisoners were a number of skeleton keys. Personal. —Says the Auckland correspondent of the Christchurch Press:—The Rev. W. E. Gillam, M.A., of the diocese of Christchurch, officiated at All Saints Church yesterday. There were large congregations at all the services. The Rev. W. Calder, the respected incumbent of All Saints, is at present indulging in his usual annual holiday. Mr Gillam’s preaching created a very favorable impression. Dice. —Mr Rawson, S.M. at Riverton, said last week : —“ I wonder licensees are so foolish as to have dice on their premises, for the mere fact of seeing dice on the table is prima facie evidence that an unlawful game has been carried on particularly when the consequences are so serious, and where a conviction must be endorsed on a license. I hope licensees will abolish dice boxes, in fact put them in the fir *.” Government Buildings. —The editor of the Wellington Evening Post has taken the advice of Sir Robert Stout on the decision of the Cabinet in refusing the admission of a representative of the paper to the Government Buildings. Sir Robert Stout holds that the Government have no power to prevent any person from entering the buildings on lawful business, and says that such a refusal would constitute grounds for an action for damages. Rangitata Sports. —At a meeting of the Rangitata Sports Committee held on Saturday it was resolved to hold the sports on May 17th next, in Mr G. H. Patrick’s paddock, Rangitata Bridge. The following officers were elected :—President, Mr R. D. Button; vice-president, Mr R. Thew; judges, Messrs T. Rae, E. Evans, C. Rae, and W. McLeod; handicappers, J, Heney (athletic events), and E. Bull (horse races); stewards, T. Rae, J. Heney, R. Orton, H. Coulter, and H. McLeod; treasurer, C. Rae; clerk of the course, W. Johnston. A programme has been drawn up comprising 11 athletic events and 4 horse races.

Miserable Melbourne. —Some time before the boom in Melbourne a man bought a piece of land in a city street for £BOOO. He presently sold it for £43,000, but the purchaser failed after paying £BOOO, and forfeited. Consequently the original holder had recovered his outlay, and still held the property. Next he let it at £IOOO a year rental, and the tenant put up a block of buildings which cost £15,000. But the buildings wouldn’t let, and the gronnd rent went in arrear. and the lease and the £15,000 buildings were both forfeited. And now the ground landlord has got the money and the ground and the building, but the revenue from rent doesn’t cover taxes and repairs, and the £15,000 building is a dead loss, and it is an open question if he isn’t really poorer than he was at first. The Midland Railway. —ln a letter to the Premier the Midland Railway Company say that it is their desire to meet the views of the Government in every way consistent with the possibility of raising money for the completion of the line from the East to the West Coast. They cannot, however, satisfy the. Government that they are or will be in a position to complete the BelgroveReefton section, being convinced that nothing short of an absolute guarantee of interest by the Government would be sufficient. They believe the intention of the Parliamentary resolution is that they should show by a statement of a good financial house that they can raise the capital fiecestary to connect tho two coasts. Negotiations will bq carried on meanwhile on that understar ding.'

Fatahtiks. Constable Cashion died suddenly of heart disease at Mastcrton, Wellington. He had been in the force since David Carson, a young man, dropped down dead ju the triangle, Dunedin, ou Monday mojruii.tr. If« was 17 years of age, and employed at Hutterworih’e. Heart disease is supposed to be thecau.se.—A man name! Glynn, a quartz miner. Id, was found dead outside a Maori hostelry at Mechanics’ |piy, Auckland, with his face covered with bled' 1 Half-aii-hour earlier Mrs Dcvalley, custodian of td« Gilding hmi n *n:md as of vomiting, and cauCt! out Itu haU belter clour out or I'll get the poUee, thinking ii wap pome drunken vagrant. She got no answer. The unfortunate man had 'burst a blood vessel.—A young man named Neil Brown, a sailor, was killed in the Havelock district by the limb of a tree striking him on the head whilcbush-falling. \Yhy°bc persuaded to buy a cheap trashy piano, when you can purchase one of those beautiful Collard A Collard's on easy terms, at Bcgg A Go’s., next ,Thoutre, Tiraaru.— [ADVT.I

Loss of Sheep. —The loss of stock about Kelso owing to the flood recently is rather serious. In one paddock close to the township 200 sheep were drowned. Sale at Winchester. —Messrs Guinness & LeCren hold a clearing sale of live and dead farm stock on account of Mr T. Richards, at his farm, near Winchester, to-morrow.

Home-Reading Association. —To-mor-row afternoon a meeting of ladies and gentlemen favorable to the formation of a branch of the Australasian Home-Reading Union will be held in the Geraldine Literary Institute at 4 o’clock. The Union is a very popular one. Branches are flourishing all over the colonies, and we hope to see a strong one formed at Geraldine.

Unskilful Treatment Case. —In the District Court, Westport, the jury returned a three-fourths verdict for £250 for the plaintiff in the action Ferguson v. Wright, claim £SOO, damages for unskilful and negligent treatment of the plaintiff by the defendant, a medical man. Defendant’s counsel was granted leave to move for a new trial and change of venue on the grounds that the verdict was against the weight of evidence and the jury had been misdirected.

Geraldine Cycling Club. —A general meeting of this dub was held on Tuesday evening, there being a good attendance; members coming from Temuka, Winchester, and Woodbury. It was decided to hold bicycle racing at Geraldine some Thursday afternoon, confined solely to members of the club, and two flat races for members of the club who are nonriders. It was also decided to hold a social in the evening of the day on which the races take place. The committee were empowered to select a suitable date. Mr R. Hood was elected vice-president to fill the vacancy caused by Mr J. W. Pye being elected captain of the club. Temuka Quoits Club. The first members’ tournament will take place in Victoria Park this afternoon. The draw for the first round of doubles resulted as follows: —J. McCaskiil and P, McOaskill (junr.) v. D. McCaskiil and Whitehead. A. Russell and J. Marshall v. P. McCaskiil (senr.) andjDann, Gcuickshank and Gaze v. Coira and H. Lavery. Singles handicap— First round: D. McCaskiil (2 points) v. H. Lavery (scr.), J. McCaskiil (scr.) v. A. Russell (scr.), Coira (scr.) v. Whitehead (2 points), Gaze (4 points) P. McCaskiil, jurn. (3oints), Dann (1 point), v. P. McCaskiil, senr. (scr.) Play will commence at 2.15 sharp.

Minister op Lands at Timabit. —The Hon. John McKenzie, Minister of Lands, paid Timaru a visit on Monday last. During the afternoon the mayor and councillors waited on the hon. gentleman to press their claim that the Saltwater Greek lagoon and flat should be made over to the Timaru Domain Board as an endowment. The board bad not enough money now to keep their park in order, and they believed if their request was granted, they coifld drain the lagoon and flat and let them. The reserve is no use now, and will be no use until it is drained, and if the board could get a rent for it there would be a possibility of getting adjoining owners to assist in the draining work, which would require chiefly a culvert through the beach. Mr McKenzie explained that there would certainly be strong opposition to making the reserve an endowment, but there would be no difficulty in getting it as an addition to the present domain, under the same board, and he also explained that under the Reserves Leasing Act the board could let it for a fixed term. The Mayor expressed himself satisfied, and then referred to the licensing elections, their great cost, the large proportion of cost to be paid by the borough, and the fact that though appointed to control the election, the council had no control whatever. The election cost the borough about £95, whereas previous elections managed by their own officer had not cost more than £lO. Mr Hall Jones said he saw a suggestion from Oamaru that the Government were going to help the local bodies in this matter. Mr McKenzie said he knew nothing of that; but the matter was to be discussed by the Cabinet when all the returns were in. The expense was unavoidable. The House insisted on a change in the liquor law, and the Government went a great length in helping the local bodies by getting the Returning Officers to prepare the rolls. It would have cost enormously more if the local bodies had had to prepare them themselves. £20,000 for the colony perhaps. The local bodies had only to pay the general expenses, and , Timaru seemed to have got off much lighter than many other places. Timaru must have saved £lO by the Government paying for the printing of the rolls. On Tuesday last a deputation representing the Geraldine and Waimate County Councils waited on the Hon. Mr McKenzie with respect to the Pareora Bridge. Mr Balfour produced Messrs Meason and Merchant's report stating their proposals, viz., to construct controlling fences of wire and willows with embankment behind, to confine the river to a width of SOOfc ; cost of these works about £700; then when the embankments have become consolidated and have been tested by a flood, to erect a bridge over the stream thus confined. The river, it is proposed, is to be compelled to run under the old principal 800 ft bridge, now high and dry and grassed beneath, as if no water had run under it for years. The upper timbers, an elaborate truswork, are very much decayed, and these are to be removed, the piers of piles added to, and a narrow bridge made, at a cost of about £2590. Mr Balfour pointed out where the training walls would be, and said chat a conference of the county councils had agreed to go on with these at all events. Mr Elwortby explained that he was opposed to the proposals, and thought an outrigger bridge on the railway bridge would do very well. Messrs Lyall, Keddie and R. H. Rhodes controverted Mr Elworthy’s statements. The Hon. Mr McKenzie said it was not for him to decide oreven consider what they should do. It was a local matter, and the local bodies must decide what they wanted. Then, if they submitted their proposals to the Government, with full plans of the complete work, the Government engineers would examine them. There could be no objection to that of course, for the more skill they brought to bear upon them the better. Then, if the engineers approved of the plans, he would lay the matter before his colleagues. The Government would not go in for any experimenting. It appeared to him that the proposal was a very good one ; it seemed necessary to confine the river into a narrower channel. Of course the whole of the plans should be sent, and if the protective works were done, it would be expected that the bridge would follow. No doubt the two counties would keep faith about that.

Why get a worthless, doctored, secondhand piano, when you can buy an elegant model from Begg & Go’s, at the same price. Show room next Theatre, Timaru.—[Advt.] SYNOPSIS OF ADVERTISEMENTS. J. A. Young—Notice re slaughterhouse license. Tomuka Road Board Tenders for draining, etc. Orari tlotel —Meeting ro proposd Orari tra(li« bridge. Upper Waitohi School—Concert and dance to-night. Norman Campbell Notice re tenders accepted for ploughing. Hinds Saleyards Coy. Additional entries for sale on Monday. Waitohi Flat—Concert and dance in aid of library funds on May IJth. J. Ballantyno it Co. —Draw attention to special display of novelties in dress fabrics, serges, ptc. ; special notice ro dressmaking. A. M. Clark—Wants to rent turnip or stubble food ; To reward for any persons caught snaring, trapping, or netting hares on the Hi version, Arowhouua, aud Alb ary estates.